I became interested in this DIY synth module since it’s early beginnings, but I contacted a representative at that time who told me that, in order to use it as multi-timbral, you would need a computer… that was a no-go for me, so I kinda forgot about it.
I entered their forum to check it out and I read this:
This is the extended list of new features:
Multi-layer & multi-engine: Now you can create sound layers with any engine, in any MIDI channel. Yesss!! You can lay several instruments in the same MIDI channel, or create true multi-timbric setups, mixing different engines.
The workflow has changes a little bit, of course. The first screen is “Layer List”. From here you can create new layers, select the current layer in the GUI, change layer options (bold select) or remove one or all layers.
I think this is referring to standalone operation.
Now, if you can run multiple synths on different channels, and send Bank/Program Change messages to it… this could be a great portable companion for Octatrack/Digitakt.
I’m currently using an iPad as a multi-timbral synth and, although it offers a lot of possibilities, I sometimes get some latency or problems (maybe Zynthian is not that stable either)
Very late reply but positive: yes, now Zynthian supports the Raspberry Pi 4. And, for those of us not into soldering, it comes with interesting open hardware.
I checked their website and community a couple of years ago and I thought it was too soon for me. Yesterday I was debating myself between the Zynthian and the Empress Zoia for a multi-effects use case (both can do a lot more) and I ended up buying a Zynthian kit out of open source curiosity and sympathy (and perhaps a way to explore MOD-UI, PureData… but we’ll see).
In fact an unrelated factor that made me go for Zynthian was that it supports Pianoteq, which means that I can make more use of my license and carry a top quality grand piano in such a small factor.
Another factor was that their community seems quite active, and they had a new release just a few days ago, loaded with new stuff:
I’m trying Zynthian today on a RPi4, headless, paired with a Tonverk. Slightly mixed results so far, but it’s early days.
The good: all the basic configuration worked, including setting up WiFi for remote control by Webconf or VLC. Even better: it recognises the Tonverk as a USB Audio interface, so no need for analogue I/O. So I can e.g. sequence on Tonverk to Zynthian instruments, take USB Audio back in to a Bus on the Tonverk, add effects etc. and route to the main mix.
Recording from Zynthian on the Tonverk came out very clean, though not perfect, with a noise floor around -75dB RMS (measured in Audacity). That’ll do nicely, and it might not be Zynthian’s fault.
The bad: not able to get multitimbral operation yet, since MIDI in always goes to the active instrument selected on the screen, regardless of the channel set on that instrument. There is a setting that looks like it causes that, Admin / Active Channel, but I’ve tried that on and off and it doesn’t appear to be that. edit: Multitimbral mode is a setting on the MIDI Input device, which is odd, but it works.
I’ve also had a couple of synths that never fully load, they just sit on “loading” until I reboot. More research needed! edit: those are the synths for which you are expected to find and add ROMs separately, and I have not done that. I did find a couple more that performed poorly and clearly expected more oomph than the Raspberry Pi 4 has.
